The Coaching Tree: February 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Colorado State Linebackers Coach

Scott Brown has left the Colorado State staff to become the new defensive line coach at Arizona State. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Larry Hoefer - ex-Baylor Linebackers Coach

Defensive coordinator at UTEP in 2000. Tim Duffie began his coaching career in 2000 as a graduate assistant for the Miners.
Coached outside linebackers at Texas Tech from 1994-99. Duffie played linebacker for him with the Red Raiders from 1996-99.

Jody Allen - West Georgia Defensive Coordinator

Defensive ends coach at Florida State from 2002-09. Todd Stroud was a strength and conditioning coach for the Seminoles from 2007-09, as was Pat Meyer in '07.

Matt Sheldon - Minnesota Vikings Assistant Defensive Backs Coach

Coached the Buffalo Bills linebackers from 2006-09. Steve Fairchild was the Bills offensive coordinator in 2006 and '07.
Assistant with the St. Louis Rams from 2001-05, while Fairchild was the teams' OC from 2003-05.

Mike Fanoga - Wyoming Director of High School Relations

Outside linebackers coach at Wyoming in 2009 and '10. Dan Hammerschmidt was the WR coach at Wyoming in '09 before returning to CSU.

South Carolina Special Teams Coach

Special teams coach Shane Beamer has left to join his father's staff at Virginia Tech. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Amos Jones - Pittsburgh Steelers Assistant Special Teams Coach

Coached outside linebackers at Mississippi State in 2006 after spending the 2004 and '05 seasons as the linebackers and special teams coach. Ellis Johnson was the defensive coordinator at Miss. State from 2004-06.
Special teams coach at Alabama in 1990 and '91, when Ellis Johnson was the Crimson Tide's outside linebackers coach. Also, Lorenzo Ward was a senior DB at Bama in 1990 before becoming a graduate assistant with the team the following season.

David Bibee - Middle Tennessee State Safeties Coach

Has been at MTSU since 2008. His first season, he worked with GA Mangus, who was the team's offensive coordinator from 2006-08.
Coached at Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2006 and '07, where he worked with Jay Graham, who was the RB coach in '06.
DB coach at Clemson from 1997-99. Jeep Hunter was in his second season as a graduate assistant with the Tigers in '97.
DB coach at South Carolina from 1989-95, spending each of those seven seasons on staff with Brad Lawing.
Coached defensive backs at Appalachian State from 1984-88. Lawing was on staff each of those years, and Ellis Johnson was the defensive coordinator in '84.

Charlie Coiner - ex-North Carolina Defensive Line Coach

Coached linebackers at Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1998, which was Lorenzo Ward's second season as defensive coordinator.
Graduate assistant at Appalachian State from 1983-86, working with Brad Lawing throughout his stint, and also with Ellis Johnson in his one season as defensive coordinator.

Paul Guenther - Cincinnati Bengals Assistant Defensive Backs/Special Teams Coach

Offensive assistant under Steve Spurrier with the Washington Redskins in 2002 and '03.
Head coach at Ursinus College from 1997-2001. GA Mangus was his offensive coordinator from 1999-2001.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

LSU Special Teams Coach

Joe Robinson has left LSU to become the new defensive line coach at North Carolina. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Charlie Coiner - ex-North Carolina Defensive Line Coach

LSU special teams coach in 1999.
Tight ends coach at Louisville from 1995-97, where he worked under head coach Ron Cooper.
Graduate assistant at Appalachian State from 1983-86. Cooper was a GA at App. State in '83.

Joe DeForest - Oklahoma State Special Teams Coach

Has coached the special teams at Oklahoma State since 2001, working with Les Miles for his first four seasons.

Tommy Thigpen - Auburn Safeties Coach

Coached defensive backs and special teams at Bowling Green in 2001 and '02, where he worked with both Billy Gonzales and Greg Studrawa.

Amos Jones - Pittsburgh Steelers Assistant Special Teams Coach

Coached special teams and linebackers at Mississippi State from 2004-06, where he worked with Brick Haley, who was the DL coach.

Other names in consideration:

Brian Schneider, Seahawks - Played with Billy Gonzales at Colorado State.
Mike Mallory, Saints - DB coach at Louisville for 1 year under Steve Kragthorpe.
Eric Russell, Tennessee - Coached with Kragthorpe for 2 years at North Texas.
Mark Nelson, Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) - Spent four years total with Steve Kragthorpe (2 at Tulsa, 2 at Louisville). Also coached one year with Greg Studrawa at Arkansas State. (Most connected of the names I found, but comes with baggage)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Auburn Defensive Line Coach

Tracy Rocker has left Auburn to become the new defensive line coach of the Tennessee Titans. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Glenn Spencer - Oklahoma State Linebackers Coach

Came to Oklahoma State in 2008 as their DL coach, working with Trooper Taylor and Curtis Luper, who were also on the staff in '08.
Defensive backs coach at Duke from 2004-06, where he worked under head coach Ted Roof.
Coached running backs at Georgia Tech in 2001 when Roof was the Yellow Jackets defensive coordinator.
Played defensive line at Georgia Tech from 1982-85, where he played all four years with Ted Roof, who was a linebacker.

Dan Brooks - Clemson Defensive Line Coach

DL coach at Tennessee from 1994-2008. Trooper Taylor was an assistant with the Vols from 2004-07.
DL coach at North Carolina from 1988-93. Tommy Thigpen played linebacker for the Tar Heels from 1989-92.

Lorenzo Costantini - UAB Defensive Line Coach

DL coach at Central Florida from 2000-03, working under Gene Chizik, who was the defensive coordinator, for two seasons.
Played at UTEP from 1986-90, where he was a teammate of Jeff Grimes, who was an offensive lineman for the Miners from 1987-90.

DeMarco McNeil - Birmingham Southern Defensive Line Coach

Graduate assistant at Auburn in 2007 and '08. He was retained by Gene Chizik for the 2009 season until he left to join the Birmingham Southern staff.
Played defensive line at Auburn from 2000-03.

Other names in consideration: Mike Pelton, Louisiana-Lafayette; Steve Caldwell, Arkansas; Ted Monachino, Baltimore Ravens.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Tennessee Titans Coaching Staff

With the hiring of Mike Munchak, look for a collection of former Titans/Oilers to follow. Jerry Gray is already on board as defensive coordinator, along with Bruce Matthews as offensive line coach. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential coaches to fill the staff:

* = possible offensive coordinator candidate

QUARTERBACKS COACH

Jeremy Bates* - ex-Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator

Worked with Jerry Gray in 2010 with the Seahawks.

Tom Clements* - Green Bay Packers Quarterbacks Coach

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator in 2004 and '05. Jerry Gray was the Bills' defensive coordinator from 2001-05.

Chris Palmer* - Hartford Colonials (UFL) Head Coach

Coached the Oilers wide receivers from 1990-92. Mike Munchak, Jerry Gray, and Bruce Matthews were all on the roster at some point when Palmer was on staff.

RUNNING BACKS COACH

Sherman Smith* - Seattle Seahawks Running Backs Coach

Coached with Jerry Gray with the Seahawks in 2010.
Was the offensive coordinator with the Washington Redskins in 2008 and '09. Gray was the Redskins' DB coach from 2006-09.
Coached the Titans/Oilers running backs from 1995-2007.

Gary Brown - Cleveland Browns Running Backs Coach

Played for the Oilers from 1991-95.

WIDE RECEIVERS COACH

Ray Sherman* - ex-Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers Coach

Titans WR coach in 2005 and '06. Also coached the Oilers running backs in 1988 and receivers in '89.

TIGHT ENDS COACH

John Zernhelt - Tennessee Titans Tight Ends Coach

Has coached the Titans tight ends since 2006.

DEFENSIVE LINE COACH

John Palermo - Middle Tennessee State Defensive Line Coach

Washington Redskins DL coach in 2008 and '09, where Jerry Gray was the DB coach.

Tim Krumrie - ex-Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Line Coach

Buffalo Bills DL coach from 2003-05. Gray was the Bills' defensive coordinator from 2001-05.

LINEBACKERS COACH

Frank Bush - ex-Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator

Worked with Bruce Matthews on the Texans staff in 2009 and '10.
Coached the Oilers linebackers from 1992-94 after five years as a scout for the team.
Played LB for the Oilers in 1985 and '86.

Kirk Olivadotti - Washington Redskins Defensive Assistant

Coached the Redskins linebackers from 2007-09 after starting as a defensive assistant in 2000. He worked with Jerry Gray from 2006-09.

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH

Marcus Robertson - Tennessee Titans Defensive Backs Coach

Has worked with the Titans organization since 2003, spending the last two seasons as DB coach.
Played for the Titans/Oilers from 1991-2000

Steve Jackson - Washington Redskins Assistant Defensive Backs Coach

Worked with Jerry Gray with the Redskins from 2006-09.
Assistant DB coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2001-03, Gray's first three seasons as the Bills defensive coordinator.
Played for the Titans/Oilers from 1991-99.

Friday, February 11, 2011

New England Patriots Defensive Backs Coach

Corwin Brown will not return to the Patriots after one season with the team. He and Josh Boyer shared the defensive backs, with Brown focusing on the safeties. While Boyer may just take over the entire secondary, which he did in 2009, the coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Otis Smith - Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Quality Control Coach

Played for the Patriots from 2000-02, Bill Belichick's first three seasons as head coach.
Played for the New York Jets from 1997-99, where Belichick was his position coach.
Played for the Patriots in 1996, when Belichick was the team's defensive backs coach.

Jerome Henderson - Cleveland Browns Defensive Backs Coach

Played for Bill Belichick with the Patriots in 1996 and the Jets in 1997 and '98.
Began his NFL career with the Patriots in 1991 and '92, when Dante Scarnecchia and Ivan Fears were assistants with the team.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receivers Coach

Mike Shula has left the Jaguars to become the quarterbacks coach for the Carolina Panthers. Wide receivers coach Todd Monken has shifted over to coach the QBs, leaving the WR job open. The coaching tree has come up with the following potential replacements:

Keenan McCardell - Washington Redskins Wide Receivers Coach

Played for the Jaguars from 1996-2001.
Played for the Cleveland Browns from 1992-95. He played with RB coach Earnest Byner, who was a running back with the Browns in 1994 and '95.
Started his playing career with the Redskins in 1991, when Byner was one of his teammates.

Ray Sherman - ex-Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers Coach

Green Bay Packers WR coach from 2000-04. He coached with Mark Duffner in 2003 and '04, when Duffner was the Packers' linebackers coach.
Minnesota Vikings QB coach from 1995-97. Jack Del Rio's last year as a player was with the Vikings in '95.

Bob Bratkowski - ex-Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Coordinator

Worked on the Bengals staff with Mark Duffner, who was their defensive coordinator in 2001 and '02.
Seattle Seahawks WR coach from 1992-94. Special teams coach Russ Purnell coached tight ends and special teams for the Seahawks from 1986-94. Andy Heck was an offensive lineman in Seattle from 1989-93.

Other names in consideration: Johnny Cox, Jaguars; Wes Chandler, ex-Browns.